Mechanical Associate

Overview

As a Mechanical Associate in our Operations Management Training program, you'll become directly responsible for the repair and maintenance of our locomotives and freight cars.

You'll take charge of a specific area of one of our mechanical shops. You might supervise locomotive repair or service. You might lead inbound planning, where we prepare to meet the needs of every piece of equipment destined for our shop, or outbound planning, where we keep track of what happens to vehicles after they've left our shop, kind of a quality assurance measure.

You may supervise a specific shift or project, directing a crew of about 50 people. Working in Operations isn't a typical 8-to-5, Monday-through-Friday job. You'll get to see firsthand what you and your team have accomplished.

Requirements

We're looking for college graduates with degrees in mechanical or electrical engineering. Experience with diesel engines or freight cars is a plus. We need critical thinkers who thrive in a fast-paced, demanding environment and have the confidence to lead a diverse crew of people. Candidates will be required to take an operating management test (see sample).

If You Are Offered a Job

We will conduct a thorough background investigation. This will include your Social Security number, criminal and drug history, past employment, education, professional licenses and certifications, military history, driving record, credit history and any other information relevant to the job.

You must complete a medical history questionnaire, a urine drug test and a medical screening to judge whether you are able to perform the essential tasks of the position.

You must also be able to prove that you are a U.S. citizen or that you are authorized to work in the United States.

Pay

As a Mechanical Associate, you will earn about $58,000 a year, depending on your education and experience, and the location where you are assigned. You will be eligible to receive pay increases after six months in the program, again after a year, and again when you are placed in a permanent assignment.

Benefits

You'll receive a competitive benefits package designed to complement your lifestyle. Generally, the management benefits package includes health and wellness, retirement and work/life-related benefits.

 

Health and wellness benefits include:

• Medical, prescription drug, vision and dental insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Flexible work schedule (where applicable)
• Free wellness programs
• Disability and life insurance

Retirement benefits include:

• Union Pacific pension
• 401(k) thrift plan with partial company match
• Railroad Retirement, a program similar to Social Security (Union Pacific Railroad employees only) 

Work/life benefits include:

• Paid vacation and holidays
• Tuition reimbursement
• Tax-reducing Transportation Spending Account
• Employee discounts
• Child care, in some locations

Potential Career Path

Training

As a Mechanical Associate, you'll begin in Operations Management Training, approximately 12 months of on-the-job education. Here you'll learn about Union Pacific's history and culture, and about how each area of Operations works. Your training will begin at our Omaha, Nebraska, headquarters and continue in a field assignment.

Your education will carry on long after you have left the formal training phase of the Operations Management program. Our employees are constantly challenged to learn new technology and new ways of thinking. Our Educational Assistance Program encourages full-time regular staff employees to take job-related courses during their non-work hours at accredited schools, colleges and universities. The program reimburses employees for 85 percent of tuition up to $3,500 a year.

Union Pacific also provides internal training programs and encourages employees to take advantage of these programs.

 

Application Process

To apply for a position at Union Pacific, select View Open Positions from any page on this site. You will then be able to view a list of open positions by location or by the type of career you're looking for.

If you select "See Open Positions" from a specific job description page – Apprentice Diesel Mechanic, for example – you will see locations where the job is available. Click on the position that you would like to apply for to see the official job description. When you select "Apply online" from this page, your application has officially begun.

Be prepared to spend 20 to 30 minutes completing your application. Have the following information ready:

• Social Security number.
• Employment history, including employer addresses, supervisor names and titles, and salary history.
• Education and training history, including school names and addresses, years completed, and degrees, certificates and licenses received.
• Military history.
• Three professional references.

You will be asked general questions about your background and qualifications for the job. And, if you have a resume in a word processing document, you will have a chance to cut and paste the text of your resume into your application.

After you apply

You can check the status of your application at any time by selecting Application Status on the Career site homepage. Enter your user ID and password, and you will see the status of any applications you have submitted. If your status is "Currently Being Reviewed," you can click on those words to see more details.

When your status is "Currently Being Reviewed," it means that your application has been successfully submitted and now is in consideration with other people who have applied for the same position. Depending on how many applications we receive and the scheduling of hiring sessions, applications could remain at this status for 60 to 90 days, so please be patient and check back often.

If your status immediately says "Thank You," this means that you are not currently eligible for employment at Union Pacific, based on the information you have provided. Several situations can disqualify you from working at Union Pacific:

• You are not 18 years old.
• You have a disqualifying condition.
• You have not met a requirement specific to the job or location.

Changing your application

Once an online application is submitted, the only information that can be changed or updated is your contact information (name, address, phone number). If you need to update your contact information please click here.  If you are invited to a hiring session, you will be given an opportunity to make other updates to your application before your interview.

Interviewing with Union Pacific

If you have applied for a union position, there are two ways you will be contacted for an interview. First, your web status will be updated to "Invited to Hiring Session." When you click on those words, you will receive the time and location of your interview. Second, you will receive a phone call informing you of the update. When we call you, we use the phone number you supplied on your application. So please make sure it’s a number where you can readily be reached.

If you have applied for a non-union position, you will receive a phone call.

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